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The End of Eternity (Turns)
This page contains every turn made so far for The End of Eternity. Turn I: 470 to 471 AD Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1530283&p=50873438&viewfull=1#post50873438 Subtitle - IN FINEM Mallow234 - Malvan's Roman Empire Leader: Marcus Flavius Marius Malvanus (Emperor Malvan) Capital: Capua Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Roman -In a mysterious bout of plague, Emperor Julius Nepos passes away in January of 470AD. He is succeeded by Marcus Flavius Marius Malvanus, who is promptly crowned Augustus. -With the Roman state weak and poor, Emperor Malvan fears that the empire will be overwhelmed and overrun - in a last ditch attempt to save the empire, Malvan orders the complete dissolution of the provinces and the consolidation to just Italia. The provinces split along the lines of the civitas and become independent kingdoms ruled by their current governors or any general who can march on the capital fast enough. Control of Gaul is given to the Magister militum per Gallias (although this is only in theory,) while Belgica and Germania Inferior are awarded to the independent Franks on the condition that they stem the tide of tribes crossing the Rhine and convert to Christianity. In the Roman public sphere, especially among aristocrats of Rome proper, this move is regarded with scorn, distaste and fear, with many believing the end is now within reach - the remaining urban aristocracy begins fleeing the cities and retreating to their rural villas. -To couple the consolidation of the Western Empire's territories, Malvan orders the discharge of all of the Roman army's foederati troops - allied levies taken from allied Germanic tribes. Malvan then orders his remaining officers and generals to consolidate in Italy, drawing Italian troops to fight in a new, restructured Roman army. Unfortunately, numbers fall short as nary an Italian is willing to fight for Malvan's dying empire. Citizens of the Italian province begin to barricade themselves in their homes and bar the gates of their cities. -The Foederati troops, who previously made up an overwhelming majority of the Roman army, are furious at their discharge and begin to demand backpay and compensation for their services. While most cut their losses and go on to sack or demand backpay from the independent kingdoms, the Italian garrison is especially furious. Marching on the camp of the army officer Odoacer, they give him the choice of either leading them to the capital and becoming the emperor, or death. Odoacer chooses the former, marching his army for Ravenna and taking the city without much of a fight. The Emperor Malvan and his entourage escape to Rome, which is made the new capital of the Western Empire. By mid-year, Odoacer marches for Rome at the head of almost three quarters of Italia's soldiers. -Most could not fathom how things could get any worse than they already were until an absolutely massive Ostrogoth-Gepid army came pouring South into Italia. The Emperor Malvan and his administration made preparations to flee the city... in the turn for the Gepids Native Hunter - Eastern Roman Empire Leader: Flavius Valerius Leo Augustus (Emperor Leo I) Capital: Constantinople Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Greco-Roman -In a paranoia-driven consolidation of power, Emperor Leo sends Basiliscus, brother to the Empress, to exile in Crimea. Fearing the worst if he stays, Basiliscus obliges and leaves the Empire for good. -Representatives of the Roman and Sassanian empires meet mid-year and agree to a cease of hostilities. In exchange, the Romans agree to pay the Sassanians a yearly tribute of ten million brass coins a year. Many back West grumble at this show of Imperial weakness, but those in the East are happy to see some lapse in the fighting. -To better organize a defense of the Empire's vulnerable cities, the Emperor orders the organization of municipal militias trained by retired veterans of the mobile field armies. These militiae are to serve as a way to bolster the mobile field armies of the Empire without the need for shifting around professional soldiers from vulnerable conflict zones or paying for the creation of new expensive professional legions. -A series of static fortifications begins construction all along the Eastern Front with the Sassanian Empire as well as along the Empire's northern border along the Danube. The Danube fortifications are to span from the black sea all the way to the Illyrian border. -In a show of his good Christian nature, the Emperor codifies into law an unprecedented act of toleration for people of other religions - Pagans, Zoroastrians, and all the like are given equal protections as Christians under the law. This is coupled with the Emperor's call for barbarian tribes wishing to settle in Byzantine lands to be accepted with open arms and dispersed among the population. This set of moves sparks an outrage in Constantinople, especially in the conservative Senate and Christian aristocracy, but there is little they can actually do about it and so their opposition falls to the wayside. In the East, these changes are applauded by some and noted with indifference by others. The Sassanians especially note this change in Roman policy. -This codification of Imperial policy shows more than just official pluralism - the Emperor intends to completely reorganize the way Roman law works - he begins the massive undertaking of collecting all the unwritten and scattered pieces of the Empire's civil law and codifying them into a single entity - the Corpus Juris Civilis. -Hoping to unite the scattered elements of Christianity in the Empire, Leo calls for the Nicene and Eastern churches to meet at Chonai in Anatolia. The Emperor oversees some compromises and good progress between the two sides of Christianity, but the council ultimately concludes with many disagreements outstanding. -With the confirmation of the Senate and the permission of the Emperor, Theoderic, King of the Ostrogoths is granted the title of Augustus and elevated to the highest seat in the West - the Emperor of the Western Empire. Damian0358 - The Dobunni Leader: Caleddin Glevicus, Dux Britanniae, Magister Militum per Britannicum (Duke Glevicus) Capital: Corinium Dobunnorum Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Romano-British -With the Romans long-gone and the threat of Germanic invasions in the forefront, Caer Gloui, now calling itself the Dobunni, erects a standing volunteer army reflective of their Roman and native origins. In honor of an age long-past and the hope for renewing that age, the Dobunni dub their army Legio II Britannica, and their leader declares himself to be the Dux and Magister Militum of the long-gone diocese. The Dobunnian Legion then sallies forth and captures several nearby forts and establishes them as their base of operations with Colonia Glevum serving as the primary operating base of the legion. They do their best to fortify the decaying fortifications and start to regularly drill there, on the watch for the Germanic enemy. -To supply their new legionaries, the Dobunni begin to produce a large array of British and Roman-styled weaponry and storing them in armories. -The Dobunni send emissaries to neighboring Romano-British settlements, asking them to band up to defend against the incoming Germanic invaders. While most are too weak and decayed to even send an emissary back, the Briton settlement of Londinium agrees to form a coalition with the Dobunni. The leaders of Londinium gather up a small, meager militia and send them off to scout the main road connecting Londinium and Corinium Dobunnorum. Soon enough, supplies and small co-op scout parties begin to flow back and forth between the two settlements. -Hoping to increase their manpower, the Dobunni send emissaries across the channel to beg the Romano-Britons in Gaul to come back. In the coming months, the Dobunni begin to see slivers of boats arriving at their shores, and the new arrivals are accepted with open arms. The returning Britons do not number in any large sum, but with the barbarians pouring in from the South and East, every man helps. -The return of Britons from Roman lands not only helps bolster Legio II Britannica, but skilled artisans and craftsmen also make a return to Roman Britain. Of the crafts that are brought back from extinction is Roman masonry techniques, and the Dobunni waste no time making use of these rediscovered techniques. Griffster26 - Kingdom of Francia Leader: Childericus Rex (King Childeric) Capital: Durocortorum Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Frankish -Childeric of the Salian Franks signs a pact with the Emperor Malvan - in exchange for Belgica and Germania Inferior, Childeric will brace his tribe against other tribes attempting to cross the Rhine into Roman territory and convert to Christianity. Now holding territories to administrate, the Salians begin adapting their language to the Latin alphabet, enlisting local Latin-speakers to help them. -The Salians continue the year with a major effort to unite the Frankish peoples under a single banner. With potential enemies on both sides and tempting offers of Roman land, most of the Frankish tribes are united under the new Frankian banner by the end of the year. Childeric is crowned Childericus Rex - King of the Franks in a new united Merovingian kingdom. He establishes Durocortorum in modern-day Reims as his center of administration, moving away from Tornacum. -With everything coming together, a system of taxes is established for landowners residing in the kingdom. These taxes are then used to establish a network of standing town militias which serve as a police force and deterrent against raids. With his lands stabilized, Childeric directs the remaining funds from levied taxes to be put into a schooling system. Small schools begin to pop up in settlements across the kingdom - a sign that the Franks are not simply marauding the Roman lands - they are here to stay. -Now in a position of great power, King Childeric extends an offer of protection to the Frisians in exchange for tribute and allied levy. They scoff at Childeric's shallow attempt to extend his influence over them and his emissary is sent back empty-handed. Broguts - The Saxons Leader: Various Capital: Various Primary Religion: Germanic Paganism Culture: Germanic Saxon -The peoples of the Saxons undergo a major unification as they prepare to come pouring south through the alps. By the end of the year, the Saxons manage to muster a unified force twenty-three thousand men, not including a contingent of five thousand Frisian allied troops. -Fearing they are not yet ready to face professional soldiers, the Saxons look to their old Roman neighbors for inspiration on how to improve the capabilities of their army. The new warband begins to undergo an impromptu tactical revision, with focus on formation fighting and organized maneuvers. -But with all the revision and mustering of extra manpower, the Saxons must still get the favor of the Gods if they are to truly triumph in battle. Sacrifices, ceremonies, rituals, and readings all increase exponentially as the Saxons vie for the Gods' go-ahead in their coming conquest. Pezgod1 - Kingdom of the Gepids Leader: King Gunderit Capital: None Primary Religion: Arian Christianity Culture: East Germanic -With the blessing of Emperor Leo, the Gepids lead most of their army down to Illyria. -Raiding and pillaging everything in their path, the Gepids make their way up the Adriatic and link up with the army of Theoderic, King of the Goths. From their staging point at the base of the alps, The Gepids and Ostrogoths launch a joint invasion of the Italian peninsula. -Spearheading the invasion, the Gepids go city to city sacking each population center and then moving on. Odoacer and his army of Foederati are only ten miles from Rome when the Gepid army smashes into their lines head-on with unbridled fury. The matchup is about even until the Ostrogothic army headed by King Theoderic appears on the horizon, leading a large contingent of Gothic cavalry into the back of Odoacer's lines. The flanking move sparks a full out panic and Odoacer's army is slaughtered to a man. -The Gepids and Ostrogoths make camp outside of Rome and make preparations to besiege the city. On the first morning of December 470AD, the Gepid army awakes to the sight of the Roman army sallied in the field, waiting for them. The sight is pitiful, but at the same time troubling - a large swathe of poorly-armed citizen militias headed by a legion of Eastern Comitatenses and their contingent of heavily armored equites cataphractarii. The Ostrogoths are nowhere to be seen. -The Gepid army quickly forms up and begins to advance, and the already-formed Roman army charges with half-hearted fervor. The Kataphractoi of the Roman force slam furiously into the center of the Gepid army, throwing men everywhere and splitting the army in half. A sense of panic enters the Gepid lines but the tides slowly start to turn back to the Gepids, who begin dispath the poorly-trained Italian levies and fall in on and surround the Kataphractoi. -The men of the Kataphractoi begin to see death as a real possibility now - the Gepids fall in on them from all sides and their line will only remain split so long as the thinly stretched lines of the Italian levies are holding - some have already begun to rout, however. -The first slews of men begin to peek over the hills - a few bands, and then the horses. The dust begins to kick up. The Ostrogoths are here. The Gepid men at the rear see this and breathe a sigh of relief: victory was now a certainty. -The first ranks of the Gothic infantry slammed hard and fast into the Gepid rear. The deafening roar of their battle cries drowned out the screams and agony of the Gepids as blades slid into their backs and the lances of the Kataphractoi pierced their hearts. -What was left of the Gepid army was spared but forced to pass under the yoke by the Romans. Defeated. Humiliated. The Gepid army was pushed into the alps and left to die. What came out the other side was ever more pitiful than what had gone in. Hearing news of the treacherous defeat, the those back home packed up and left to regroup with the defeated army. The Gepids were moving house. EuSKalduna - Kingdom of the Vandals Leader: Geisericus Rex (King Genseric) Capital: Carthago Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: East Germanic -With the raiding season in high gear, the Vandals drop raiding against the Eastern Roman Empire in favor of attempting to rein in the Berbers and Moors in the West. Extensive raiding is also conductive on the coasts of the Italian peninsula, securing decent sums of coin and valuables for the Vandals to fund their state with. -The Vandals begin to commission the construction of churches across the kingdom in order to legitimize themselves as the successors of Roman Africa, moving away from their Arianic views. These new church projects come with the express blessing of the Byzantine Emperor, who lauds his African protectorate as a bunch of good ol' Christian boys. -To aid in the running of their administration, the Vandals establish a codified system of weights and scales. This system is widely distributed and soon begins to overtake more ad-hoc methods that have been in use so far. -With Roman grip on its Mediterranean territories weakened to a virtual nil, the Vandals step in to take control. By mid-year, control of Sicily and Magna Graecia as well as the Balearic islands is completely solidified. -Beach landings are now conducted with specialized longboats which deploy from a larger ship to transport personnel to shore. With these longboats, the Vandals need not risk their precious warships while attempting to conduct an invasion from shore. -To secure their grip on the heartland, the Vandals set up garrisoned outposts along more vulnerable roads, encouraging travel and trade along them. Each of these new outposts also has a rest-stop for messengers and couriers, allowing letters send from one end of the Kingdom to reach the other quickly and efficiently. Zillamaster55 - The Berber Tribes Leader: King Sila Capital: Various Primary Religion: African Paganism Culture: Berber -United under King Sila of the Western Berbers, the Berber tribes of Mauretania begin to expand towards the North-West at the tail of a strong raiding campaign led by tribal warrior nobility. By the end of the year, the Berbers have expanded all the way to Gibraltar, only stopped by the sturdy walls of Tingis. -Raiding parties go far and wide in search of plunder, eventually running into Vandal guard posts at the edge of the Western Vandal border. This far-reaching push is facilitated by intensive breeding of mobile food sources such as goats, horses, and hogs. Berber raiding parties and Vandal border guards see minor clashes all through the year. -With the push North-West, the Berbers begin to clash more and more often with tribes inhabiting the coastal and mountain regions of Mauretania. These tribes are eventually conquered and put under the yoke of the Berbers. Most of these newly conquered peoples are allowed to continue practicing their religion and customs, but a conscious effort is made to assimilate them. -With the tribes growing exponentially due to the new expansions, King Sila begins to reorganize the tribes as to dissuade blood ties. He hopes to eventually fully unify his peoples into a single tribal identity, and this is a first step into the right direction. Turn II: 470 to 471 AD Post link: https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1530283&p=50892800&viewfull=1#post50892800 Subtitle - NOVUM POPULUM Broguts - The Saxons Leader: Various Capital: Various Primary Religion: Germanic Paganism Culture: Germanic Saxon -With the new year well on its way, the Saxons find themselves unified under a single banner and purpose, with an army that would make a dwarf of any before it. They begin their march south with fierce determination - no matter who sits on the throne, Rome will burn. Her armies will be made bones, to be scattered across the fields of Italia. Her luscious farmlands will be salted and burned, never to grow anything again. Her cities will become ash in the wind, returning to the hills and plains from which they sprouted. Her people will be made slaves - men, women, children, elderly and all. Rome will burn. -The Saxones of Germania come pouring in through the alps, devouring the unprepared cities of Gallia Cisalpina. The Saxon army rolls through Northern Italia virtually unchallenged, sacking and burning everything in their path. Having not even recovered from the previous year's conflicts, the North is made a lifeless wasteland, its urban centers reintroduced to the earth. Dead. Gone. -It is only when the Saxones continue further South that they are met by the great Ostrogothic legions, led by Emperor Theoderic the Great himself. The Saxones are a brave and hardy bunch, but even the mere mention of Theoderic's presence on the battlefield sparks weariness and talk among the ranks. It has long been known that emperors of Rome are divine beings sent from heaven - who are they to try and beat a god in battle? -Still, the bravest among them challenge the fears of their comrades. A god, you say? Then let them sing their praises when word reaches that the proud Saxones have slain a god. -On the next day, the two armies meet in the field. The Saxones, never a shy bunch, make the first charge with archers in reserve. The two main bodies of infantry smack into each other. The roars and shouts of the men are joined by the clanging of steel and the whistling of arrows flying overhead. Utter chaos. -The odds remain even, each side slowly withering the other down. Deaths remain low, but the soldiers are growing tired. -In a critical moment, the weaker cavalry of the Saxones is routed by the fierce Eastern cavalry of the Ostrogoths. The Ostrogoth cavalry form a charging wedge and piercing into the right flank of the Saxon infantry line. Soon, the Saxon right flank collapses and Ostrogothic legionaries begin to swing around the back and hammer the anvil. The Saxones are being surrounded. -Retreat! The Saxon general is not a coward, but he isn't a fool either. The horns of retreat are sounded and the Saxon infantry pulls back with some casualties to boot. The Ostrogothic cavalry gives chase to mow them down, but the regrouped Saxon cavalry intercepts and covers the infantry retreat. The furious second wind of the Saxons' cavalry joined by the incessant rain of arrows coming down from the reserves forces the Gothic heavy cavalry to pull back. The full force of the Saxons secures retreat and regroups at their fortified camp. The Goths have the day, but it is by no means the last battle. Rome will yet fall. Mallow234 - The Praetorship of Capua Leader: Marcus Flavius Marius Malvanus (Praetor Malvan) Capital: Capua Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Roman -The Emperor Theoderic is assassinated after barely a few months of reign, stabbed to death in his tent by infiltrators from the kataphractoi units. The Romans attempt to put the blame squarely on his lieutenants but this effort fails and the Goths scramble to find an heir. One of Theoderic's daughters quickly takes the vacant spot, although only in an unofficial capacity. Theoderic's lieutenants then jointly declare war on Malvan and begin to gather and organize for an assault. The Ostrogoths have been stalled for now. -With the Emperor officially deposed and Malvan's administration surrounded on both sides in Capua, Malvan makes his last order as Dominus and creates the Praetorship of Capua. He assigns himself Praetor of the municipality and begins levying a large amount of militia troops from the surrounding area. The assisting Eastern comitatenses and kataphractoi scramble to train these new levies and only manage to get about a quarter of them trained by the time a Vandal makes camp ten miles out from Capua. -The Capuans launch a pre-emptive strike against the Vandals and force them to retreat back to their safe lines thirty miles from Capua, but at a large cost. The brave and fierce Vandal armies put up a stiff defense at their camp and manage to slaughter almost a third of the Capuan levies before a flanking assault by the First Legion Kataphractoi prompted their retreat. -Sifting through the captured camp, the Capuans manage to gather up a decent amount of high-quality weapons, shields, and armor left behind by the retreating Vandal soldiers. Their weapons are spread through the ranks of the remaining levy soldiers. EuSKalduna - Kingdom of the Vandals Leader: Geisericus Rex (King Genseric) Capital: Carthago Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: East Germanic -Leading a great fleet across the Mare Mediterraneum, the Vandals launch a massive naval assault on the Roman city of Carthago Nova. The increasingly whittled garrison of the city is easily defeated by the Vandals and the city is completely occupied by mid-year. As soon as the city is fully secured, repairs begin on the fortifications and then the Vandals begin to build up the city's defenses a notch more. By the end of the year, Carthago Nova becomes a virtual fortress immune to siege, compared to the like of the great Constantinople. -Mare Mediterraneum's Western reaches are opened up to trade ships from the East, and trade soon begins to flow into previously still waters. The Vandals laugh all the way to the bank as they make a king's ransom out of tariffs imposed on the Easterners. -To accommodate increased trade, the Vandals begin to expand Carthago's ports and harbors to hold more ships. In addition, the drydocks see a significant expansion which allows the Vandals to build and repair more of their ever-so important warships. -A small monastery is built on a hill by the harbor, and an order of monks is sent out to the docks to borrow books from travelers. Scrolls, books, writings, and any other sort of written knowledge is acquired and carefully copied. The originals are then returned to the owner and they are paid a fee. This effort to assimilate foreign knowledge leads to the discovery of old forgotten shipbuilding techniques used by the Carthaginians. The Vandals look deep into these scrolls and begin to put them to use. Docked and returning warships are upgraded according to the manuals and new ships are built to specification. -A large shipment of Anatolian timber is received from the Eastern Roman Empire, which is quickly put towards construction of new warships. In exchange, a contingent of three thousand Vandal warriors are shipped off to Constantinople to be used as allied troops by the Romans. -A series of naval raids begins against the Berber tribes to the West. Mercenary fleets trying to cross the straight of Gibraltar are harassed constantly by Vandal warships. Raid fleets soon start returning with decent runs of treasure, loot, and slaves. Griffster26 - Kingdom of Francia Leader: Childericus Rex (King Childeric) Capital: Durocortorum Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Frankish -Trade is opened up with the Romano-British League, and traders from the kingdom begin to make their way across the English channel, setting up markets in Londinium and surrounding towns. -As taxes continue to flow in from various parts of the kingdom, Childeric decides that it's time to use this money for the benefit of the Kingdom's security. With his newfound wealth, he restructures the Frankish military and forms a standing army modeled after the Roman legions of old. Existing elements of the Frankish levies and their allies are put under the banner of the professional military. -Not keen on being humiliated by the Frisians, Childeric then takes his new army and launches a full-scale invasion of Frisia. He calls on the Alemanni to the South to join him, promising grants of land and titles. Eager to attain their own imperium, the Alemanni combine with the Merovingian legions to form a huge, formidable force. With many of the Frisian men and their Saxon allies off to war in Italia, the Frankish army quickly and decisively overwhelms the Frisian levies with support of the Swabian allied troops. Frisia at large is put under the yoke of King Childeric's Merovingian dynasty, and hopes of Frisian independence are completely wiped clean. -The Franks quickly get to work assimilating the fuming Frisians. Non-Christian vassals of the Merovingians are promised land grants if they convert, and Christians under the kingdom are offered doubly so if they spread the word of god to the Pagan lands. -Monks in the capital have been collecting copies of Greek and Roman scripture in hopes of developing a system of writing for the Kingdom, and they finally come to finalize a system using the Latin alphabet of the Romans. This new system is quickly picked up by the Kingdom's administration, who pass it down to the schools. -The amalgamation of scriptures collected by the Priests also leads to the discovery of basic mathematics, which are quickly passed on to the King's administration and the schools. -The implementation of a schooling system sees a gradual upward trend in the literacy of peasants across the Kingdom. King Childeric himself was pleasantly surprised when he began to receive written letters from the peasantry living in the capital - a sign of things to come. Native Hunter - Eastern Roman Empire Leader: Flavius Valerius Leo Augustus (Emperor Leo I) Capital: Constantinople Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Greco-Roman -A small expedition is dispatched toward the Crimean Peninsula. They make a landing and retake the outpost of Chersonesus. A trading post is constructed there and the Romans begin to engage in trade with local tribes residing on the peninsula. However, the Romans face frequent raids and their forces soon begin to dwindle. -The number strength of the legions is reorganized, with five legions now conglomerating to form a single five thousand man legion, as in the days of Trajan. -Work continues on the fortifications on the Eastern border with the Sassanians. However, work is slow and inconsistent as the legions are forced to contract local builders to help assemble the walls and forts. By the end of the year, half-finished forts and frameworks of forts begin to crowd the Romano-Sassanid border. -The emperor begins to funnel money into the construction of municipal water wheels. Soon enough, water wheels begin to pop up in the areas closest to Constantinople, and many people who would normally be occupied with grinding wheat are now free to do other things for the empire. In the eyes of Leo I, this means they are free to grab a sword and head for the border garrisons. -Continuing to stretch the limits of the imperial treasury, the emperor encourages and subsidizes the construction and expansion of libraries in major settlements such as Constantinople, Nicomedia, and Antioch. Many of these new libraries undergo major efforts to stock their shelves with scripture, and they become an outlet for budding intellectuals to practice the sciences and arts and conglomerate their writings. -The greatest of all these libraries is constructed out of the Monastery of Stoudios in Constantinople. With hopes to surpass even the long-gone Library of Alexandria, the emperor orders that anything in the empire that is written down be copied and stored in his new library. -The emperor begins importing cedar saplings from Lebanon and has them strewn across the Southern coasts of Anatolia. Come time, these will grow into forests and provide the empire with precious timber - something Anatolia is already famous for. -The empire begins selling discounted Anatolian timber to the Vandals. In exchange, a contingent of three thousand Vandal warriors is shipped from the shores of Carthago to Constantinople. They are quickly dispersed among camps across the empire and trained to join the ranks of the Legio Comitatenses, the professional foot-soldiers of Rome's mobile field armies. -In the East, the emperor forges a pact with the Kingdom of Aksum in order to secure trade routes from India. With help from a now thin-stretched Roman treasury, the Aksumites build a sizable fleet and consolidate power in Middle Arabia, thus securing and growing the spice routes running from India to Arabia. Pezgod1 - Kingdom of Hestia Leader: King Gunderit Capital: Haimothli Primary Religion: Arian Christianity Culture: East Germanic -Humilitated and weakened after their defeat at Latinum, the Gepids pack up and venture far to the North. They launch a massive raid into Pomerania, subjugating the Varni tribe. -Promptly, they pull out of Pomerania and assault the Baltics, bringing the Varni with them. The Baltic peoples are completely unprepared for this huge surge of experienced, fierce Germanic troops and are quickly put under the yoke of King Gunderit. -Gunderit is crowned "King of the Hestians" and makes his administrative capital at the river-settlement of Haimothli in modern-day Jurbarkas, Lithuania. He declares the East Gothic language of the Gepids to be the lingua franca of the Kingdom, and a considerable effort is made to teach the subjugated tribes their new official language. Still, they are allowed to speak their native language and for the most part things continue this way as the native languages of the Balts and Warni begin to find their way into the administrative papers of the Gepids. -The Goths begin to disperse all over the Baltics, forming new colonial settlements and bringing in slaves and subjugated peoples as well. Notable of these settlements is that they are planned in similar style to Roman settlements, with schematics for sewage systems seeing implementation in the major centers. -Tribes neighboring the Hestian kingdom are offered to join (under duress) but very politely decline as they see the Hestian emissaries escorted out by angry mobs. -In response, the Hestians quickly launch a series of raids on the belligerent tribes. They quickly conquer a decent swathe of territory but begin to face stiff resistance after pushing deeper into tribal territory. Bloodied and taking losses, the Hestian troops retreat back to the safety of their camps. Zillamaster55 - The Berber Tribes Leader: King Sila Capital: Various Primary Religion: Gurzilism Culture: Berber -Increasingly unified, the Berbers continue their Northward expansion deep into Roman Iberia. Tingis falls after a long siege, and then Gibraltar itself. The Berbers quickly flood into Spain virtually unchallenged. The Berbers begin to establish permanent agricultural and fishing settlements in Southern Iberia - a clear sign of their intentions. Forward raid parties go long past the established strongholds of the Berbers and take slaves and loot for the warriors back home. -The effect of Vandal monotheism on the Berbers begins to rear its head, with the King Sila subscribing to monotheistic worship of the Berber god Gurzil. He implores all of his Pagan fellows to convert, with many obliging him. This potent religious movement soon begins to take root in Southern Iberia as well as Mauretania, spearheaded by an order of priests commissioned by the king himself. -Another effect of Vandal cultural influence on the Berbers is the introduction of a writing system among the Berber nobility. In order to effectively communicate across their new-found kingdom, the Berbers adapt the Latin alphabet to their own language and quickly make use of their new-found ability to immortalize their words. Historians begin popping up and priests begin chronicling every new conquest and every old myth of the Berber culture. Damian0358 - The Romano-British League Main Leader: Caleddin Glevicus, Dux Britanniae, Magister Militum per Britannicum (Duke Glevicus) Capital: Corinium Dobunnorum, Londinium, Isca Dumnoniorum, Durnonovaria, Venta Belgarum, Verulamium, Calleva Atrebatum Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Romano-British -While preparations and training for the incoming invasion continue, Corinium Dobunnorum and Londinium continue to petition other major settlements to join in their new "Romano-British League." -To the surprise of both cities, almost every settlement they ask gladly joins. Withered and weak while alone, they stand to gain much by joining forces with other Romano-British settlements. Roman Britain yet lives. Of the notable new members of the coalition are Isca Dumnoniorum, Durnonovaria, Venta Belgarum, Verulamium, and Calleva Atrebatum. Each allied settlement brings their own group of minor settlements and militias into the League, bolstering its territorial extent and manpower considerably. Each of the main settlements of the League are legally incorporated as capitals. -With the lands inbetween the League's main cities now under solid control of the League, coastal ports are re-opened and trade begins with the Diocese of Gaul, now known as the Kingdom of Soissons. Supplies including grain, and important weapon metals begin to flow into Britain. -With the movement of supplies into Britain also comes the movement of lost Roman knowledge. Artisans, engineers, traders and priests from Soissons making permanent shop in Corinium Dobunnorum find that their skills and scrolls are not only welcome in the League, but desperately needed. Some of these priests and skilled people find their way into the administration of the Dobunni - with them they bring Roman military techniques and knowledge on maintaining and building Roman infrastructure such as sewers, aqueducts, and arenas. -The continued drilling as well as the flow of new recruits boosting its size has solidified Legio II Britannica as the presumed winner of the "best army in Britannia" contest. In recent months, the legion has gained a fearsome reputation among some Anglo-Saxon raiding parties, though this reputation is mostly credited to rumors that the men of Legio II Britannica are re-risen immortal undead warriors from the actual Legio II Augusta. Their reputation as an actual fighting force is so-far nil as they have yet to be tested in battle, but from what the Magister Militum has seen in his visits to Glevum, he has high hopes they will live up to their name. -Satisfied with the state of the legion, the Magister Militum orders that the legion send its best officers off to Londinium to bring their militia men up to speed. These efforts are three-fold, with both trainers and quality swords and breast-plates from the legionary armories soon shipped off in carts towards Londinium. Building and relief supplies are also sent with builders to assist repairing the decaying infrastructure of Londinium. Through the year, training of the Londinian militia is conducted using the same strategies and drills taught to the great legion herself. Soon enough, the Londinian militias have enough well-trained heavy infantry that the Magister Militum commissions a new legion under command of the Londinian duchy: Legio vigesima Valeria Victrix. Soon enough, the other members of the League begin petitioning for their own turns at the Dobunni officers. The Magister Militum and the new Londinian officers happily oblige, and the training of additional militiamen is well underway by the end of the year. At an opportune time as well - the Anglo-Saxons have already come knocking at the gates the League. The Romano-Briton allies will need all men they can muster. -Reparation and upgrading of the various forts of the legion also continues without issue. While far from formidable, the various broken down forts of Western Britannia are slowly coming back to life, and the locals have more than taken notice of this change. Banditry and crime in the areas garrisoned by Dobunni soldiers hits an all-time low as criminals feel the grip of law and order tighten around them. Soldiers begin regularly patrolling the roads, making repairs and keeping a watchful eye over vulnerable merchant wagons. Shisno - The Gaels Leader: King Sheasnec Capital: Duiblinn Primary Religion: Chalcedonian Christianity Culture: Gaelic -The year begins with talk among the tribes of Ireland: A great menace closes in from the East. Bad enough that the Pict raiders of the highlands kept their ambitions to a standstill, but now the Anglo-Saxon hordes threatened to devour all of Britain. King Sheasnec of the Eblani tribe had great ambitions for his people, and he decided to take advantage of this foul breeze in the wind. He called a council of the Gaelic chieftains. He gave them this offer: join with the Eblani in a confederation and we will storm the Britains. Our numbers and combined strength will overwhelm the foul Picts and we will conquer all of Scotland. Then, we will drive back the Anglo-Saxons and the vast lowlands of England will be ours. We will split the lands and the riches among ourselves and be lords of all the isles. -So tempting was a proposition that no one dared to refuse. Thus, the Gaelic Confederation was born: a tight alliance of Gaelic tribes combining their manpower into a single force. A strong confederation needed a central place from which the joint chieftains could administrate. They chose the settlement of Duiblinn. By the November, King Sheasnec was sailing towards Scotland at a head of a warband no less than thirty thousand strong. -Storming the shores of Scotland, the Gaelic army makes headway and chases off the locals. Hearing of a new Roman power to the South, King Sheasnec dispatches an emissary to the settlement of Corinium Dobunnorum to negotiate a pact between the Gaels and the Romano-British league. When the emissary returns, Sheasnec is pleased to hear that the League has accepted his proposal. Category:Turns